Sealing construction for tanks



June 19, 1928.

J. KUHL SEALING CONSTRUCTION FOR TANKS Filed Dec. 11, 1926 latented June19, 1928 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KUHL, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COMPANY OFCALIFORNIA, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SEALING CONSTRUCTION FOR TANKS.

Application filed December 11, 1926. Serial No. 154,197.

This invention relates to a construction for effecting the sealing ofliquid storage tanks of the type which have a floating roof supported onthe surface of the liquid in the tank. Such storage tanks are usedlargely for storing gasolene and other volatile liquids. The generalobject of this invention is to provide simple means for sealing theannular space between the edge of the floating roof and the side wall ofthe tank. The invention contemplates the use of an apron connected withthe roof and extending over to a point near the wall of the tank so asto cover the annular space and prevent the evaporation of the gasoleneor other liquid. One of the objects of the invention is to providesimple means for centering and guiding the roof as it rises and fallswith changes in level of the liquid and at the same time provide simplemeans for holding the outer edge of the apron substan: tially againstthe wall of the tank. According to the present invention, the sealing iseffected by maintaining the roof properly s centered inthe tank and atthe same time holding the outer edge of the apron very close to the wallof the tank without actually necessitating any contact between the apronand the tank. In this way the evaporation from theannular space betweenthe roof and the tank wall is reduced to a minimum and substantiallyeliminated. I

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists of the novel \parts and combination of parts tobe described hereinafter, all of Wind! contribute to produce anefficient sealing construction for tanks.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the followingspecification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a developed side elevation of a portion of the edge of theroof of a tank, such as referred to above, and embodying my invention,certain parts being broken away.

50 Figure 2 is a vertical section taken through the edge of the tank andthe edge of the roof, broken away.

Figure 3 is a plan of a portion of the edge edge to the flange 4.

of the roof and showing a short portion of the periphery of the tank.This view is broken away and .shown upon a reduced scale.

In the drawings 1 represents a tank of common construction used as astorage tank for a volatile liquid, such as gasolene indicated by thenumber 2. On this liquid a roof 3 floats. This roof usually includes asubstantial cylindrical flange 4 which extends around and forms the edgefor the roof.

In applying my invention to such a tank, I provide the gas-tight orgas-proof apron 5 which is preferably attached at its upper This apronis a continous sheet of flexible fabric and extends outwardly from theroof with its outer edge (3 extending below the surface of the liquid 2and also close to the inner face of the tank wall 7.

In addition to this, I provide simple means for centering and guidingthe roof on the tank wall as the liquid level rises and falls. For thispurpose, I provide a plurality of arms terminating in shoes which areconstructed so as to exert pressure against the inner face of the wall7. In other words, these arms press yieldingly against the inner face ofthe tank wall and they all exert a substantially equal pressure, theresult of which is that they maintain the roof centered in the tank. Theends of these arms may be held out against the tank wall by any suitablemeans, but I prefer to accomplish this by embodying spring means intheir construction. In the present embodiment of the invention, the arms8 themselves are constructed of resilient material, the upper end ofeach arm being secured to the flange 4t and the lower portion of the armextendin downwardly and outwardly toward the we 1 7 of the tank. Ifdesired, the shoes at the ends of the arms 8 may press directly againstthe wall of the tank, but I prefer to provide each arm with a pair ofoppositely disposed rollers 9 mounted to rotate in a vertical plane androll up and down on the inner face of the tank wall.

Associated with each arm I provide means for holding the lower edge 6 ofthe a ron substantially against the inner face 0 the tank wall. For thispurpose, I form or attach a bracket or shoe 10 at the lower end of eacharm. This bracket is preferably bifurcated, (see Figure 2 so that thelower edge of the apron may e received between the forks. By this meansthe lower edge of the apron will be held quite close to the wall 7 ofthe tank, but not close enough to permit it to engage the rivets or theedges of the plates out of which the tank wall is constructed. Therollers 9 facilitate the up and down movement of the brackets 10 as theroof rises and falls with the change of level of the liquid. The apron 5may be constructed of relatively stiif material such as thin sheetmetal, or of fabric.

If the apron is constructed of sheet metal or other relatively stiiimaterial, its edge will be readily maintained close to the wall of thetank. In this case it is immaterial whether the edge of the apron issubmerged or not. If the apron is constructed 0 a flimsy fabric, ofcourse, it is preferable to have its edge submerged; otherwise, it wouldbe necessary to have a very large number of guide arms so as to insurethat the edge of the apron would be maintained at all points close tothe face of the wall.

If desired, stiii'eners 11 may be employed for increasing the rigidityof the lower edge of the apron. These stifieners may 'be in the form ofelongated stifiener strips or slippers, (see Figure 1) attached to theoutcr side of the apron at its lower edge. The stiffening effect ofthese slappers is enhanced by having their upper en's extend well up onthe curve of the apron, for example, to the point indicated at 12 in Fire 2.

It is understood that the em odiment of the invention described hereinis only one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I donot wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in theclaims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is:

1. In a sealing construction for a li aid, the combination of a tank forthe liquid, a floating roof supported on the liquid in the tank, anapron of gas-tight material attached at its upper edge to the root'andextending outwardly, a plurality of centering arms attached at the edgeoi the roof, constructed so as to exert pressure against the inner faceof the tank wall to hold the roof centered therein, and means supportedon the said arms for holdin the lower and outer edge of the apronsuiistantially against the wall of the tank.

2. In a sealing construction for a liquid, the combination of a tank forthe liquid, 9. floating roof supported on the liquid in the tank, aflaxible apron of gas-tight material attached at its upper edge to theroof and extending outwardly with its lower edge below the liquid level,a plurality of centeringb arms attached at the edge of the roof, emodying means enabling the same to exert pressure a ainst the inner faceof the tank wall to ho d the roof centered therein, and means on saidarms for holding the lower and outer edge of the apron substantiallyagainst the wall of the tank.

3. In a sealing construction for liquid, the combination of a tank forthe liquid, 21 floating roof supported on the liquid in the tank, aflexible apron of gas-tight material attached at its upper edge to theroof and extending outwardly with its lower edge below the level of theliquid, 0. pluralit of centerin r arms attached to the edge 0 the roof,em odying means enabling the same to exert pressure against the innerface of the tank wall to hold the roof centered therein, means on saidarms for holding the lower edge of the flexible apron substantiallyagainst the wall of the tank, and rollers carried by the arms forguiding the same up and down the wall of the tank.

1-. In av sealing construction for a volatile liquid, the combination ofa tank for the liquid, a floating roof supported on the liquid in thetank, a flexible apron of gas-tight material attached at its upper edgeto the roof and extending outwardly, a. plurality of centering armsattached to the edge of the roof, embodying means enabling the same toexert pressure against the inner face of the tank wall to hold the roofcentered therein, means on said arms for holding the lower and outeredge of the flexible apron substantially against the wall of the tank,and

,stifi'eners attached to the lower edge of the apron between the armsadjacent the wall of the tank. 5. In a sealing construction for avolatile liquid, the combination of a tank for the liquid, a floatingroof supported on the liquid in the tank and having an upwardlyextending flange adjacent the wall of the tank, an apron of gas-tightmaterial attached at its upper edge to the flange and extendingoutwardly, a plurality of centering arms of resilient material attachedto the edge of the roof and exerting pressure a ainst the inner face ofthe tank wall to hol the roof centered therein and guide the same as theroof rises and falls with the liquid level, and means supported on saidarms for holding the lower edge of the apron substantially against thewall of th tank.

6. In a sealing construction for volatile liquid, the combination of atank for the liquid, a floating roof supported on the li uid in thetank, means for yieldingly gui ing and centering the roof with res actto the tank wall as the level of the liquid rises and falls, an apron inthe form of a flexible sheet of fabric attached to the roof at its inneredge, extending outwardly with the outer edge of said sheet disposedbelow the level of the liquid and lying substantially against the innerface of the tank wall.

Leraeea '3'. in a sealing construction for liquid, the combination of atank for the liquid, a floating rooI" supported on the liquid in thetank, a plurality of centering arms attached to the roof for engagingthe inner face of the tank wall to center and guide the root as it risesand falls with the liquid level, and an apron in the form, of acontinuous sheet of flexible fabric attached to the root extendingtoward the wall of the tank With c means for holding the lower and outeredge of said sheet substantially against the wallof the tank.

8. line sealing construction for a liquid, thecoinbination of a tank forthe liquid, a floating roof supported on the liquid in the tank, anapron of gas-tight material attached at its upper edge to th roof andextending outwardly, a plurality of shoes engaging said apron near itslower and outer edge,

n am with means for holding said shoes substantially against the wall ofthe tank.

9. In a sealing construction for volatile liquid, the combination of atank for the liquid, a floating roof supported on the liquid in thetank, means for yieldingly guiding and centering the root with respectto the tank wall as the level of the liquid rises and falls, and anapron in the form ofa flexible sheet of gas-tight fabric attached to theroof at its inner edge extending outwardly with the outer edge of saidsheet disposed below the level of the liquid and. lying substantial- 1yagainst the inner face of the tank Wall with means for preventingfrictional con-v tact of the fabric with the tank wall.

Signed vat San Francisco, California, this 19th day of November, 1926.

JOHN KUHL.

